]]>Tue, 21 Jul 2015 02:33:20 GMThttp://www.brockgoetzmann.com/litigation/att-bills-your-data-even-if-you-are-on-wifiIf you use a lot of cellular data, or have kids who do, you may be interested in knowing that if you use AT&T, unless you turn OFF your cellular data in settings on your cell phone, you will use up your data even if "connected to WIFI!!" It seems like almost every month, either my ex and/or I are talking with our kids about how they are "busting" our AT&T data plan, and how they need to "be sure they connect to and use WIFI whenever possible." It confounded me how my kids would tell us, "we're on WIFI! Promise!" but somehow they would continue to bust the very generous data plan we subscribed to with AT&T. Well, I discovered tonight the reason why. While driving with Stephen Goetzmann, he asked me to check his data plan to see how close he was to using the 40 gigabyte family limit. I checked for him, and surprisingly, his daughter, who was away at summer camp had used almost 8 gigabytes of their 40 gigabyte plan despite her phone being in his glove compartment, unused for the last two weeks!!!!!! You can imagine his surprise (and mine too) - so he called AT&T to inquire about how his daughter's phone could have used nearly 8 gigabytes of data despite not being used...there were specific dates. His daughter went to camp on July 12th - and each and every day since that date regularly showed "data" usage way beyond what one would expect from a dormant teenager. At first the AT&T representative said he must be mistaken, that "someone" had to be using the phone because it showed data usage. He assured her that the phone had been secure in his glove compartment since the day he dropped her off, and that no one had used the phone. She suggested they just "turn off her data" for the rest of the month. But that didn't solve the problem. We still asked "WHY is this dormant phone using data?????" The AT&T rep then suggested that there must be social media apps using the data -like her friends posting on her facebook, instagram or snapchat accounts....but we didn't buy that either. Why should HER phone be using data when she's not connected to those applications???? After about an hour and a half of arguing (and getting angry), and telling us that a phone with a dead battery, that is off can actually use data (which we still do not know whether is true or not), she did finally say "you will use the data on your phone unless you turn off your cellular data - even if you are connected to WIFi." I was horrified. Thinking of how, last year, I continuously texted my kids about their data "overuse" and "over charges" and reminded them constantly to connect to WIFI whenever possible. I had always been told by AT&T reps that if my phone is connected to WIFI I will not use up my cellular data. Well.....that's now in question. After this long drawn out "discussion" that may or may not be recorded, the representative finally told us that. I thought "why didn't she tell us that in the first 15 minutes of our conversation???" I mean - dragging it out, accusing us of lying (You must be using the phone or someone is), lying to us (telling us that a dead phone uses data), and wasting our time for almost 2 hours...she finally said the words that "if you do not turn off your cellular data you will use it even if you are connected to WIFI." I called my kids and apologized profusely to them. Told them to go to their settings, and under "cellular" to turn off the cellular data whenever they were at home or otherwise near WIFI. My twelve year old daughter said it best - she said "Mom AT&T is mean!!!!!" I couldn't agree with her more. Let me know if this has happened to you!!! Share your story here!I posted this on facebook:https://www.facebook.com/tamara.brock2/posts/10207242556406783]]>Wed, 14 Aug 2013 21:08:32 GMThttp://www.brockgoetzmann.com/litigation/texting-and-driving-ran-red-light-and-crashed-into-our-client

Texting while driving is approximately six times more likely to cause an accident than driving while intoxicated. Attorneys are seeing more and more clients coming in who have sustained serious injuries or have had a loved one die from someone who was driving while texting. Personal Injury Attorneys need to be aware of this problem in order to help clients get compensated for their injuries and to try and demand that there be consequences to the party who was driving while texting. Obtaining red light cameras as soon as possible is very important because in some places the footage is not retained for very long. Call Tamara or Stephen at (972) 757-1717 for assistance!